Life insurance is an important component of any good financial plan. This is because it can help you to protect the assets that you have built, as well as the people that you love. The proceeds from a good, solid life insurance policy can provide ongoing income for a spouse and children so that they can continue to live the same lifestyle – even if you cannot be there. So, essentially, life insurance can help you to keep your promises.

It can also help your survivors to pay off large financial debts – including a home mortgage, high credit card bills, and other types of both business and personal loan obligations. In addition, even the cost of an average funeral today can cost in excess of $10,000 – an amount of money that many families just simply do not have readily available. But by purchasing life insurance coverage, loved ones can have this money quickly, allowing them one less thing to worry about at an already stressful time in their lives.

When considering the purchase of life insurance, there are some key factors to consider. Certainly, the amount of coverage that you purchase is one of the most important criteria. This is because you will want to ensure that there are enough funds for your loved ones to live on and to use for their ongoing financial needs.

The type of life insurance coverage that you purchase will also be a big factor. Term or permanent are the two main forms of life insurance coverage that are available in the marketplace today. Knowing which of these to choose – and why – is essential.

One of the very biggest of the decisions that you can make when choosing your life insurance coverage is the insurance company that you purchase it through. This is because you will want to know that the company will be there for your loved ones – both now, and in the future.

When reviewing a life insurance carrier, its financial strength, stability, and claims paying history are some of the key criteria to look for. One of the best ways of going about finding out this information is through the life insurance rating agencies such as A.M. Best, Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, Fitch Ratings, and TheStreet.com. You can also do so through your state’s Department of Insurance website.

A Review of Jackson National Life Insurance Company

Jackson National Life Insurance Company has been in business since 1961. The company is headquartered in Lansing, Michigan, and it was named after President Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States. The firm primarily offers retirement annuities and investments.

Just twenty years after opening its doors, the company went from $50 million to more than $160 million in just annuity sales, and by 1989, its sales exceeded $2 billion. In 1998, National Planning Holdings, Inc. (NPH) was formed, and that same year, Jackson National Life Insurance Company of New York was opened, which expanded Jackson National’s sales and distribution to all 50 of the U.S. states.

The company has continued to expand throughout the years, and in 2003, it launched Curian Capital, LLC, a separately managed accounts provider. Just two years later, in 2005, the firm acquired Life Insurance Company of Georgia, which essentially doubled the company’s policy count to approximately 3 million.

In 2011, Jackson National achieved a record amount of sales and deposits of $22.9 billion and record IFRS net income of $683 million. Continuing to expand, in 2012, the company acquired Reassure America Life Insurance Company, which increased its policy count once again, this time to roughly 4 million.

In 2013, the company earned more than $23 billion in total sales and deposits, with IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) pre-tax operating income of $2 billion. Today, the company has $212.2 billion in total assets, and a long and successful financial track record.

The firm currently consists of three separate entities, including Jackson National Life Insurance Company, Jackson National Life Insurance Company of New York, and Brooke Life Insurance Company.

Jackson National Life Insurance Company has received very high ratings from the insurance company rating agencies. These include the following:

A+ (Superior) from A.M. Best. This is the second highest rating out of 16 rating categories.

AA (Very Strong) from Fitch Ratings. This is the third highest out of 19 rating categories.

AA (Very Strong) from Standard & Poor’s. This is the third highest out of 21 rating categories.

A1 (Good) from Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. This is the fifth highest out of 21 rating categories.

In addition, the company has also received numerous other accolades for its achievements. These include being the number one seller of annuities in the United States during 2014, as well as being ranked first in variable annuity new sales in the U.S. during 2014.

Also, Jackson National was ranked as the 6th largest seller of fixed-rate deferred annuities in the United States during 2014, and it was ranked as being the 21st largest seller of fixed index annuities in the U.S. during 2014.

Likewise, of the 50 largest U.S. life insurers, ranked by total statutory assets, Jackson ranks as being the 8th largest United States life insurance company as ranked by total statutory assets, and as the 15th largest United States life insurance company ranked by general account assets. Also, Jackson has also been ranked as the 20th largest U.S. life insurance company ranked by statutory surplus asset valuation reserve and interest maintenance reserve.

As a subsidiary of Jackson National, Curian Capital, LLC, manufactures and distributes a very comprehensive suite of various investment strategies and asset management solutions for institutions, advisors, and their clients. This company uses a highly technologically advanced platform for doing so, which can in turn, assist advisors in terms of efficiency and profitability. It can also help clients with a very highly customized investment management solution for their financial and retirement planning needs.

National Planning Holdings, Inc, which is Jackson’s affiliated network of four independent broker-dealers, consists of the following:

INVEST Financial Corporation

Investment Centers of America, Inc.

National Planning Corporation

Sll Investments, Inc.

Products Offered By Jackson National

Jackson National offers a wide variety of different life insurance, annuity, and investment products to its customers. These include fixed, fixed-indexed, and variable annuities – which are the company’s flagship products.

The products are sold via two primary distribution outlets, including Jackson National Life Distributors, LLC, (JNLD), and the Institutional Products department. JNLD markets and wholesales the Jackson National retail products – including annuities – to both independent and regional broker-dealers, as well as to wirehouses, independent agents, and other financial institutions.

Fixed Annuities

A fixed annuity will offer its owner a fixed amount of interest that is credited on an annual basis. The key benefit with fixed annuities is the safety of principal that they allow their owners – along with the peace of mind in knowing that they will not be losing the money that they have oftentimes worked a lifetime to save. The tradeoff for this safety, however, is that the return on fixed annuities is somewhat low.

These types of annuities will offer their holders a fixed income stream – and, for those who choose the lifetime income option, they can offer a guaranteed income for the remainder of the individual’s life, regardless of how long that may be. This can be a great way to ensure that a retiree does not outlive his or her assets – especially given that life expectancies are so much longer today than ever before.

Variable Annuities

A variable annuity works like a contract between an individual or business and an insurance company, under the terms of the contract insurance company will make periodic payments to the annuity investor, beginning either immediately or at some future date. Variable annuities are also considered to be tax deferred investments, meaning that the contract owner pays no taxes on the income and investment gains from the variable annuity until they withdraw the money.

Variable annuities provide the opportunity for market appreciation through a number of different investment options. They also provide for tax-deferred accumulation of funds, as well as future income. Variable annuities offer numerous benefits including, tax-deferred growth, the opportunity for market appreciation, liquidity, benefits to spouses, and benefits to heirs.

Variable annuities may also have an optional life insurance provision that offers a death benefit. If the annuity contract owner passes away prior to the time that the insurance company has begun making income payments to the annuitant, then a named beneficiary will be guaranteed to receive at least a specified amount of money, which is generally the amount of the purchase payments, or the total amount of the premiums that were deposited.

Variable annuities are designed for people who may be willing to take more risk with their investment in return for more growth potential. Historically, variable annuities have offered better returns than fixed rate annuities. However, it is important to keep in mind the added risk associated with this product.

How and Where to Obtain the Best Life Insurance Quotes

In order to obtain the very best life insurance premium quotes – even if you have decided on an insurance carrier – is to work with an agency or a company that actually has access to more than just one insurer. This is because you will be better able to objectively compare the best life insurance companies and their policies, benefits, and premium quotes – and to then make the decision in terms of which one will be the very best for your specific needs.

When you are ready to begin the process of comparing policies and carriers, we can help. We work with many of the top life insurers in the marketplace today, and we can help you to obtain all of the most important information that you will need in order to make a more informed purchase decision. We can do this for you very quickly, easily, and conveniently – all from your computer, and all without the need to meet in person with a life insurance agent. If you are ready to begin the comparison process fill out the form on this page.

Should you discover that you have any additional questions as you move through the process regarding Jackson National Life Insurance Company – or even just about life insurance in general – then you have come to the right place. Our experts are here to serve you and can answer the questions and concerns that you may have.

We can also walk you through the quote process, as well as get more focused on the details such as what type of life insurance policy is right for you, how much death benefit coverage you need for your survivors and their needs, and which of the many available life insurance carriers will be able to serve you best. We can be reached directly via phone, toll-free, by calling 888-836-7071.

We understand that the purchase of life insurance coverage can, at times, seem a bit overwhelming. There are so many details to keep track of – and you want to ensure that you are making the right decision. That’s why we are here – to walk you through the process and make sure that you feel comfortable the whole way through it. So, contact us today – we are here to help.

When purchasing life insurance coverage, it is important to determine what type of policy – as well as how much in death benefit (face amount) – will be right for you and your survivors. Certainly, the purpose of having life insurance is to ensure that those who are left behind can go on, especially during an already difficult time for them. So, the last thing that anyone wants to do is leave the people that they care about in a tough financial bind.

Therefore, the purchase of owning a good, solid life insurance policy can help to ensure that income will continue, debts will be paid off, and that survivors will not have to drastically change – or reduce – their current standard of living.

In addition to the actual life insurance policy, an extremely important component of choosing your policy is the insurance carrier through which you purchase it. Just knowing that the company will be there when you need them can provide you – and your loved ones – with a substantial amount of peace of mind both now and in the future.

Because of this, it is essential to review the underlying insurance company before moving forward with the purchase of any type or amount of life insurance coverage. This can help you to better assure that the policy will be able to perform as it promises to. Reading company reviews can assist with this process, as can reviewing the life insurer ratings that are provided by insurance company rating agencies such as A.M. Best, Standard and Poor’s, Moody’s, Fitch Ratings, and TheStreet.com.

These ratings are usually given as letter grades – similar to a school report card – from A++ through F. In most instances, sticking with an insurance company that has a letter grade of an A or better is a wise move, as this shows that the company is financially stable and has been paying out its policy holder claims.

Lincoln General History and Financial Stability

Lincoln General Insurance Company has not been in the insurance business for as long as some of the other larger insurers have been. The company entered into the insurance industry back in March 1977, when it was founded by Walter Fohl. Mr. Fohl was the majority stockholder of Walshire Assurance Company.

The firm was initially headquartered in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Walter Fohl passed away in 1986, and at that time, the minority stockholders in the insurance company decided to take the company public. At that time, the headquarters of Lincoln General was moved to York, Pennsylvania.

In the beginning, the company offered only commercial auto and a few other related types of insurance products. However, throughout the years, the firm has expanded into other insurance coverage lines. Over time, the company has also acquired other companies. In 1998, Lincoln General Insurance became a part of the Kingsway Financial Services Group and was traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol KFS.

In the early 2000s, Lincoln General started to institute relationships with MGAs (Managing General Agents) that had direct and assumed business. This helped the company to expand its product lines – as well as its sales force – even further. Unfortunately, in February of 2009, due to certain statutory and / or legal exceptions, Lincoln General ceased its writing of any new insurance policies.

Customer Service and Claims

Because Lincoln General has been considered to be in “runoff” since February of 2009, as of this time, the company’s primary mission is to “complete a successful, voluntary, solvent runoff of all of its obligations of the insurance company.” In addition, it intends to provide superior handling of any and all claims that are filed, as well as to favorably impact the financial results for its shareholders.

The company’s business plan includes “the orderly, cost effective, and professional resolution – and payment – of all of the company’s policy holder claims,” along with any of the other obligations that the company has. The insurer feels that it has a commitment to maintain, which is “to deliver on it policy’s promise with prompt, fair, and professional claims service – each and every time.”

With this in mind, Lincoln General Insurance Company has provided detailed information on its website for any policy holder in terms of how and where to forward any loss run requests. Such requests can typically be processed within ten (10) business days – or in some cases, even sooner. Insureds are asked to indicate their name, policy number, and effective month and year of all policy terms that are needed.

For those who have any questions – or if a Lincoln General policy holder is in need of filing a claim – there are some different ways in which to contact the company. These include via regular mail, express mail, phone, and fax. The company has contact locations in both York, PA, as well as in Chicago, IL.

The company has also provided a number of forms directly on its website that can either be downloaded or completed online. This can help to make the claim filing process easier for their policy holders. Key information is also included that can assist individuals as to what should be included on these forms.

When reporting a loss, this information should be provided to the company’s Claims Intake Unit via fax, phone, or email as soon as possible. The timely reporting of an accident is extremely important, as it can protect a policy holder’s interests. This can also help to protect and preserve pertinent information that is needed by a claims adjuster to conduct a thorough investigation. Loss reporting forms can be completed directly on Lincoln General’s website, and they can also be saved directly to a policy holder’s computer. This can make the process much easier as well as complete.

Information that is typically needed on such a form will include the following:

Date of the loss

Policy number of the insured

Name of the insured (as it appears on the policy)

Contact name and information of the insured

Exact location where the accident occurred

Brief description of the accident

Whether or not the police were notified

Year, make, model, and VIN (vehicle identification number) of the vehicle(s) involved in the accident

Insured owner’s name, address, and phone number

Insured driver’s name, address, and phone number, as well as his / her date of birth, driver’s license number, and state

Obtaining the Very Best Quotes on Life Insurance Policies

When you are seeking quotes for life insurance coverage, it is often the best route to work with a company or agency that has access to all the best life insurance companies, instead of just one single insurance carrier. There are several reasons for this. First, you will be able to take a look at several different policies – and their corresponding benefits in a much more objective manner. Plus, you will also not be subject to just one insurer’s underwriting requirements – which could be more stringent that another’s. Also, it will also allow you to check and compare premium prices all in one convenient place – without having to go from one insurer to another – or even hop from one website to another. So if Banner Life insurance offers a product that meets your needs better than Lincoln General you should be able to compare those policies and make the best decision for you.

If you are ready to begin checking and comparing life insurance policies and premium quotes, we can help. We work with many of the best life insurers in the market place today, and we can provide you with all of the key information that you require in order to make a much more informed purchasing decision – before you buy any coverage. This can be done in an extremely quick, easy, and convenient manner – all directly from your home computer – and without the requirement of an in person meeting with an insurance agent. When you are ready to begin the comparison process, and you need to do is fill in the form on the side of this page.

Should you discover that you still have any questions that you go through the process, we can provide you with answers. We have experts on staff who will walk you through the life insurance premium quote process. We can also provide you will additional key advice, such as how much coverage may be right for you and your specific situation, what type of life insurance is right for you – term or permanent – and which of the many carriers will be the best one for you. Our experts can be reached directly via phone, toll-free, by calling 888-836-7071.

We understand that the purchase of life insurance can be somewhat overwhelming. There are a lot of carriers to choose from – and you want to ensure that you’re headed in the right direction. We’ll help to make sure that you get there – so that you and your loved ones can have the peace of mind that you deserve. So, contact us today – we’re here to help.

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